Friday, December 23, 2011

I'm realizing alot of truths recently, today's truth realization is that of bodypart splits and why Leg Day is awesome. First of all, Leg Day sucks, and today was light!! Heavy Leg Days are going to kill me, but the truth is, I only have to do it one day a week, and I really felt it just in my lower body. For as hard as this split is going to be when I add real weight, my upper body is ready to go for the next 3 sessions. Maybe them bodybuilders is onto sumfin...hrmmm...

I will be brief today because I'm tired, need to go eat, and internet manz is coming to hook me up soon, which will also be awesome. Another truth I'm realizing, over 45 minute sessions is not a bad thing. This session topped out at about 80 minutes including warmup, but some of that came from rest. I'm keeping my rest periods to between 60 and 75 seconds, which is at most about 30 seconds longer than I've been resting. Those 30 seconds go away REAL fast by the end of the session. Overall, lovin it, like this guy and his salmon:

I sorta want to add sled drags or farmer's walks to Leg Day just to be total masochistic psycho, but sadly, that seems to be one of the limiters of Active vs Super Sport, the lack of warehouselike floor space...altho...the weight room IS still pretty big. This might bear some experimentation...

Squat: 225x5/245x5/275x5/275x5/185x8

Romanian: 185 4x6

Toes-to-Bar: 4x5

Front Squat: 135 4x8

Donkey Calf Raise: 80 4x12

Dragon Flag: 4x12

Hack Squat: 135 4x8

Standing Calf Raise: 80 4x12

Hanging Leg Raise: 4x12

Honestly, i can't wait to start adding weight to this. For some reason, the idea of having to drag myself home after leg day sounds like too much fun...

Thursday, December 22, 2011

I have half a mind to just start whining about a laundry list of fucked up shit, most of it having to do with the fact that I'm still struggling a bit to figure out what my next few steps professionally should be, but I'm not sure I really feel like unburdening myself here, now. I think i have resolution on that issue at a high level, i just need a plan now, so I guess it'd be less bitching and more thinking out loud, but I'm not sure that my thinking out loud is compelling reading. Besides, I don't think i'd be saying anything new beyond what i've been talking about in that arena for the last couple of weeks, at least publicly. The real plan needs to simmer a bit more before i start discussing that, methinks. That and I'm sitting in a really nice coffee shop in San Jose on a fairly lovely Thursday early-afternoon and it just doesn't seem like the right thing to do, so brief moment of self-pity over, move along, nothing to see here. Still hibernating, and spring is a long way off from here.

I've been reading alot recently, as I've alluded to on a few occasions, I just finished The Education of A Bodybuilder, by the man himself, Arnie. Now, there are a million reasons you should read this book, but I'm going to let you figure those out yourself by reading. The one thing I will mention is that it's interesting to read the disconnect between what you see on the newsstands as the "workouts that made arnold great" and what the man himself says. As most of you educated lifters know, it's pretty much what you expect, start with the basics. Whatever your goal is, you'll never go wrong with squats, deadlifts, presses, and the like.

That said, taking a cue from this excellent article by Dave Tate (as opposed to all the non-excellent articles by Dave Tate? Yeah, no such thing), I'm going to incorporate some thoughts from Education of A Bodybuilder and Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding into my program. The thing I realize is that, as often as it seems like I "change" programs, really all I'm doing at this point is tweaking. I can hear the gasps from all the P90Xers and Crossfitters out there, i know, i'm not making sweeping changes and confusing my muscles, etc etc, trust me, it works. Your muscles really aren't that smart, they get confused VERY easily. Dumbbell presses just aren't sexy or marketable, oh yeah, and you might get "bulky". Fuck off.

I like the idea of what Arnold calls "Freehand" exercises, which are basically just a bunch of bodyweight sets. I'm going to start my weeks with a split similar to what he mentions using when he started out training in Austria. I did this split today, and I definitely realize the truth of it. It's not only a great way to start a training week, it feels like it'll be a good deload set, as well as a goalkeeper, the idea of going from 5x20 to 2x50 to 1x100 to nx100, that sort of thing. Definitely something to think about.

Pushup: 5x20

Dip: 10x5

Inverted Row: 15,15,20

Situp: 5x20

Flat Knee to Chest: 2x25

Bodyweight Squat: 2x25

Bodyweight Donkey Calf: 2x25

There are some sets I still need to toss into this split, namely Bent Broomstick Twists and Chinups, but those will come. Recent stressors, most notably the move, have me on an odd sleeping pattern, so I'm doing what I can, but we'll figure it out. All in all...is good.

Monday, December 19, 2011

I have a love hate with landmines. I hate that alot of gyms don't have landmines, but I love seeing the divots in the mats where people have set up for em anyway. T-Bar rows are such a great exercise, it's a shame not to do them. Nothing really special today, just getting back to lifting after a somewhat stressful but not terrible two weeks off, mainly due to the move. Haven't been eating great, but we'll get back to that tomorrow too. I finally have a working kitchen again (or i will by the end of the week), so no more having to get creative with microwaves. Stir fry madness incoming!! Coconut oil...mmmmmm.

Must say I am a fan of this concept of the 24 Hour Fitness SuperSport Club. These things are freakin warehouses, just with nicer gear. Having space to do loaded carries is awesome. I wonder if I'll be able to get some of those in by appropriating the climbing wall space at the pacific shores gym. Guess there's only one way to find out...

Life is doing weird things right now. I think this image says it all...a little hibernation will do me some good I think. That's what 2012 is going to be for me...hibernation.

And yes, there will be deadlifting.

Deadlift: 225 3x5, 275 3x3, 185 3x8

DB Incline: 60 2x12, 50x10, 50x8

TBar Row: 105 4x8

A1. DB Bench: 50 4x12

A2. Bent Lateral: 40 4x8

B1. Pushdown: 140 4x12

B2. DB Curl: 25 4x8

Farmer's Walk: 45 4x70yds

Training might take a bit of a turn, I'm not sure I'm going to be able to fight capoeira into my schedule for the first time in a while, which troubles me a bit. Maybe I can squeeze it in on weekends, but man, for some reason everyone in the southbay seems to be super averse to Tuesday and Thursday classes. Oh well. Definitely excited about doing BJJ again though.

Saturday, December 17, 2011

Took a couple of weeks off from training. Not to deload or anything, though. I just wasn't feeling it. I think the season change, shorter days and weather have just knocked me off my game. Today I got back to it, though, and remembered why I love training so much.

A1. Hip/Shoulders Mobility/Prehab

B1. Squat

8 x 45#

8 x 135#

5 x 185#

3 x 225#

2 x 275#

1 x 315#

2 x 1 x 335#

Wanted to do 3 at 90% of my current 1RM, but the second 335# was enough. Still, after such a long layoff, can't complain.

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

This is an anti-lifting post... and by anti, I mean that there was none to be had, I have been that busy.

This last week and a half has been filled with activity centered around interviewing down in San Francisco, and accepting one of the jobs... and everything involving that.

One of those "necessaries" was taking general grievous (my car) into the shop to get worked on before making a long road trip. While I was in there, the guy was asking me questions about where I was driving, ect. I've been avoiding saying strait out where I work, because I've noticed that people just get snippy, and it's rather uncomfortable. So when he asked, I diverted the question by talking about the craziness... the social unrest, and everything else I saw brewing while I was down. He ended by saying, "and here you are swooping in there taking someone else's job." I told him that I do very specialized work that took years of study and preparation, and that not anyone one the street could walk up and do it, to which he replied sarcastically, "not like YOU, eh?"

I know what it's like to be in his shoes. I worked at grease monkey. I've worked places 10x worse. I can tell you from personal experience that being a caricature artist at elich gardens is way more degrading than being a cocktail waitress for a bunch of drunks and ending the night being expected to warm the laps of some local mafia members. I can also tell you that the job he has is a lot better than some of the shit I've seen. He wants to come and tell me that I'm taking SOMEONE ELSE'S job? You want to start telling me about being unemployed? It wasn't that long ago that I was dumpstering, starving, and scrapping.

You want to take my job? Come on, I'll fight every person who stands up and thinks they can. Pry it out my cold dead hands. Fuck you.

It makes me so mad, the level of expectation people have, like a bunch of birds with open cawing mouths. I've worked 3 jobs at once, two unpaid for experience, one a degrading waitress shift with 3 hours a day of bus commutes, and I've had to watch, smell and hear people eating next to me while I slowly starved. That memory is as clear in my mind as if it happened yesterday. I've never begged.

The worst part is that I have this sense of social obligation and associated guilt, as if I SHOULD be helping because I'm FINALLY in a position where I can. It makes me wonder why I even bother when I hear people like this. And the shitty thing is is that our society really does need some sort of shifting change, there are people out there who are NOT selfish who legitimately DO need help. It IS wrong to turn a blind eye... but you have to wade through mountains of expectant jackasses to get there. It's so disheartening.

Anyways, I know that lifting blogs aren't exactly the place to talk about these things, but I just needed to rant, and I have no other venue.

Thursday, December 8, 2011

Haven't posted for the past week, so I'll recap while my computer is turning a 2 week task into a 30 minute one. My time at the gym has been cut short most of the time, which is a little frustrating. I finish my two core movements and I want to do some metcon/cardio/something additional, but then I look at the clock and realize I *really* need to get back to work. c'est la vie, I suppose. I'd go after work, but that's after the gym closes. Anyway, here are my past three rather short sessions:

12/2 Friday

A. Warmup

1.5 mi stationary bike

B. Mobility/stretching

10 min

C. Deadlift

5 x 135#5 x 185#5 x 225#5 x 275#7 x 295#3 x 305#

D. DB Bench

8 x 35#8 x 35#8 x 40#8 x 50#8 x 55#8 x 60#8 x 60#8 x 60#

12/5 Monday

A. Warmup

1 mi stationary bike

B. Stretching/movement

15 min

C. Clean and Jerk

5 x 45#

5 x 95#

5 x 115#

3 x 135#

5 x 145#

5 x 145#

5 x 145#

D. Power Clean

5 x 155#

5 x 165#

5 x 175#

I wanted to do some barbell overhead squats, but I had to get back for a meeting. Next Oly day, I'll be sure to get them in.

12/7 Wednesday

A. Warmup

Stationary bike, 1 mile

B. Movement/stretching

10 min

C. Squat

5 x 45#

5 x 95#

5 x 95#

5 x 135#

5 x 185#

5 x 205#

5 x 225#

5 x 240#

5 x 240#

5 x 240#

Still going ass to grass, still feels great

D. Standing Press

8 x 45#

8 x 45#

8 x 55#

8 x 65#

8 x 75#

8 x 80#

8 x 80#

8 x 80#

and capping things off with a ditty that fueled that last set of squats:

Monday, December 5, 2011

Even though you never suspect it, you know it's true, it's always going to be one of the little assistance exercises that you get sloppy and lazy on and fuck yourself up. Case in point, bent laterals! And of course it was the very last rep of the very last set that did it. Thankfully I did some stretching in between and some rolling afterwards, now I'm at home happily doping myself up so I can function tomorrow at my interview.

It's funny how much you can one-rep when you don't really think about it. I imagine i'll be able to start out at a fairly good clip on deadlifts when I hit up juggernaut, sadly, I feel like my other lifts might suffer a bit, but I've never had an issue bringing squats up at least, so I'm not going to worry about it. Just going to keep doing what I'm doing for now and continue to enjoy this rather unique training situation I find myself in. Anyone wanna setup a GDC Fight Club next year, maybe after the Tech Art meetup?

It's funny, I'm at that point in the cutting where I get cold alot and it being winter i'm never sure if it's just me or the weather. Pretty sure it's me at this point, which is a good sign. Now...here's the real question: Am I so set on training that I'm going to try and squeeze in a workout in the three hours before my interview tomorrow? I probably will, let's see what time I end up leaving the airport and get to Redwood City.

Deadlift: 355x1/305x3/255x5/205x8/135x12 Stripset, no rest

Push Press: 4x6 145

A1. DB Floor Press: 4x8 60

A2. Bent Lateral: 4x8 50

B1. Hammer Curl: 2x8 25

B2. Overhead Extension: 2x8 110

Had to take a serious break before trying to get in those last two stations. Strict hammer curls are actually really hard to do when your lower back is spasming a tiny bit, but I figure i can put that down as unstable training? Haha, man that's gonna be my claim to fame, Injured Assistance Training! Ok that's a horrible idea.

Saturday, December 3, 2011

I normally don't post things I'm so amateur at, but I always like to at least get some video footage when I'm at the beginning of a new journey. A week ago I signed up for Aerial Silk dancing classes, and I've found a long term relationship in them. Pole dancing really spoke to me when I first got into it, but not like this does. I felt like I found something that I had been desperately unconsciously seeking.

At the end of class, Tonya tied the two ropes together (creating a sling) and let the girls go at it. I started with the normal inverts, but then the music kind of got to me, and I started actually dancing. She thought it was really stylistically interesting, so she set up a separate rig and let me practice after class. She's an amazing teacher, and I'm really grateful for all the extra time and attention she's spent in helping me.

There's probably something to be said for not being weighed down by food, or maybe it's because i've been sleeping when I feel like sleeping but this is the first class where i felt like I'm finally catching back up to capoeira. Didn't play...great...but i'm moving better. Sucks too, i'm just getting back into a new capoeira family and now i have to leave it behind. Gah...not the life I really want to be living. Makes me a sad bear.

I've done many martial arts, and i will say honestly that Capoeira is the most unique style i've ever studied, and will probably remain so. There are so many elements of it outside of the actual training that I've just never found in any other martial. A punch is just a punch, and a kick is just a kick, but Capoeira has a unique way of getting you in and out of those things. I've always said Capoeira is like jazz, in that Capoeira is the movement between your attacks. To me, that's your Capoeira. Don't get me wrong, i'm really looking forward to getting up to the bay and hittin some Kajukenbo hard, but the roda and the bateria will always be home.

I had thought that i was going to hit up the gym today after class to make up some bodyweight sets since it's across the street and a block or two down from the academy, but yeah, that didn't happen. Let's be honest, martial arts are pretty much Phd level classes in bodyweight mastery, so I think i'm covered. I may toss a few sets onto the end tomorrow or maybe do a light two-a-day. I still feel like my recovery is keeping me somewhat ahead of my overall deficit effect, so there's still some tweaking to be done.

Friday, December 2, 2011

Two things happened today: I got no sleep last night, which i take as indicator that the lowered calories are finally starting to take effect, and I hit a pretty solid wall, not quite failure, but close enough. Means it's time to switch over and go full bore RFL. I've been tapering this week, started at ~200g protein and ~200g carbs, mainly from protein shakes, chicken, and rice, by wednesday, I had dropped to ~200g protein and ~100g carbs, so today I can finally flip over to just ~200g protein. That's actually under the RFL protocol methinks, but until I have serious crash, I'm going to stick with that. Going to eat the last of my chicken today, sorta easing into all protein, then by saturday I'll be back on just liquid protein. Awesome.

I think i'm going to not start working again till at least January 2, which gives me a full four week jump. The move should probably go pretty quick and knowing the area means I'll be able to jump right back into training methinks, so cool. I've mentioned start dates of the 9th, which would actually give me a full 6 weeks of cut, which i think is ideal. Well, i'll know next week, so cool shtuff. Then i'll be happy, like this guy:

This is an interesting cycle because I'm really having to just go on how my body feels but still stay within acceptable numbers. I don't think i'm going to take a rest day until i crash out, which is an interesting thought, because now I can pretty much just recover whenever i want, so it may be a while until that actually happens...

This is my post for two days ago (take that as an indicator of how swamped I've been)

A. Warmup

Stationary cycle, 1 mile

various stretches

B. Squats

5 x 95#

5 x 95#

5 x 135#

5 x 185#

5 x 205#

5 x 225#

5 x 235#

5 x 235#

5 x 235#

My squats haven't been going up as fast as they used to, but I've also been focusing on really going down as low as possible, so I'll take the slower progress.

C. Standing Press

8 x 45 #

8 x 45 #

8 x 55 #

8 x 65 #

8 x 75 #

8 x 85 #

8 x 75 #

8 x 75 #

I still don't enjoy presses in any form, I'm not sure why I don't. Ah well. making some minor progress here, on a suggestion from a friend I've switched from 5 rep sets to 8 rep sets on my standing and DB chest presses, so we'll see if that helps me progress at all

Thursday, December 1, 2011

Ugh, i'm skipping sets for the stupid reason that I'm not looking at my log properly and transferring my sessions to my notebook properly. I'm tempted to run down to the park today and get in a set of dips just to make up. I might do that on my walk tonight, I doubt the effect would be negligible other than to put me at some sort of mental rest. Eh, why not? I'll do it for the children.

I added in a few extra sets today just as an experiment, and it felt pretty decent. I think the first two sessions this week were a bit low on volume overall, so i'm adding one more set of 8s to everything and tacking on two more accessory sets. Also trying to stay really tight on the rest length, even for supersets. I'll still take 60 seconds on all the power sets, but I feel like i can hit 45s for now on the supersets. I'm going to creep numbers up a bit and see what the upper bound is, but yeah. I need to hit this really fuckin hard, like it needs to hurt.

Deadlift: 325x1/305x3/255x5/205x8/135x12 Stripset(no rest)

Push Press: 4x6 145

A1. DB Shoulder Press: 4x8 37.5

A2. 2Pt DB Row: 4x8 70

B1. Front Raise: 4x8 20

B2. Face Pull: 4x8 90

C1. Strict Cable Curl: 3x12 80

C2. Strict Rope Extension 3x12 80

I wonder if it would be completely detrimental to take 90 seconds and then hit some kettlebell swings or a complex. Worth experimenting with tomorrow, me thinks.